Kris Tyrpak's career numbers speak for themselves. Year over year, the Swope Park Rangers forward has found the back of the net at a highly consistent clip.
And yet it takes the video highlights to fully appreciate the quality of finishing amidst the quickly accumulating quantity of goals scored by the 23-year-old.
<strong>Team (Year, League)</strong> |
<strong>GP</strong> |
<strong>G</strong> |
<strong>A</strong> |
Austin Aztex (2012, PDL) |
13 |
10 |
3 |
Austin Aztex (2013, PDL) |
14 |
9 |
1 |
Chivas USA (2014, MLS) |
9 |
1 |
1 |
Austin Aztex (2015, USL) |
27 |
9 |
2 |
San Antonio Scorpions (2015, NASL) |
6 |
2 |
0 |
TOTAL |
69 |
31 |
7 |
He scored 37 goals as a junior at Dripping Springs High School in central Texas, then followed that campaign with 39 goals as a senior. And that's on top of the 15 goals he scored in 27 games for Lonestar SC -- the youth club of Sporting KC midfielder Mikey Lopez -- during the 2009/10 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season.
During his college days, Tyrpak contributed 18 goals and 20 assists at Houston Baptist University while also spending time training with the Houston Dynamo. In the summers after his sophomore and junior years, he starred in the Premier Development League for the Austin Aztex with 19 goals in 27 games.
Those exploits earned Tyrpak an invite to the 2014 MLS Combine, where he again impressed with a goal for adiZero (video), and ultimately led to his selection in the MLS SuperDraft a week later.
Though his playing time was limited behind Mexican international Erick Torres and World Cup veteran Felix Borja in his rookie season, Tyrpak provided one of the final highlights at the end of the Chivas USA era with his first professional goal coming in sensational fashion. Less than a minute after entering the match on Oct. 11, 2014, Tyrpak eluded five Colorado Rapids defenders and buried his shot past Clint Irwin for the equalizer in what turned into a 2-1 victory.
The strike finished second in MLS Goal of the Week voting, behind Sporting KC playmaker Graham Zusi, and set the stage for a second professional season in 2015 filled with similarly stunning moments.
After training with the San Jose Earthquakes in preseason, Tyrpak returned to the Austin Aztex for their expansion season in the USL and led his hometown team with nine goals -- six of which were game-winners -- and two assists. His first two goals of the year came in a 2-0 road win over the Tulsa Roughnecks FC on April 4.
The 23-year-old concluded his campaign in the NASL with the San Antonio Scorpions, endearing himself to fans on his debut with this dipping half-volley against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Oct. 3. The goal was named NASL’s Play of the Week and took home Goal of the Year in the 2015 San Antonio Soccer Awards.
His strong performances in 2015 bode well as he joins a Swope Park Rangers attack that will also include Dane Kelly, the USL's all-time leading scorer. Together, the pair combined to score 20 goals in the USL last season.
"Kris has had fantastic moments with the Austin Aztex and San Antonio Scorpions,” said Swope Park Rangers head coach Marc Dos Santos. “He's a fast winger that likes to take defenders on and unbalance the opponent’s defensive structure. We are very happy that he's joining us for 2016."
